Comments Off on NRJA Designs a Two-Story Houseboat for Long Latvian Summers

Latvian architecture firm NRJA (which stands for “No Rules, Just Architecture”) is one of the most exciting firms working in Europe today. Floating Barn, the firm’s latest project, is a lakeside residence designed for long Latvian summers. The two-story house features living spaces, a bathroom and a small deck on the first floor, and a sleeping area is located on the second floor. By using one material for both walls and roofs, a homogenous look is achieved. The pontoon base of the house features storage tanks for clean water, filtered graywater and fuel. + NRJA The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat ? Send us a tip by following this link . Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing! Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: floating barn , floating house , graywater , graywater treatment , houseboat , Latvia , No Rules Just Architecture , NRJA , Riga , summer house , treated graywater , Uldis Luksevics

Comments Off on 2012 Was the Hottest Year Ever for the Contiguous United States

Photo by Shutterstock It’s official: Last year was the hottest year ever recorded in the contiguous United States. The National Climate Data Center announced today that the average temperature last year obliterated the previous record, which was set in 1998, by a full 1.0°F. Temps were above normal for every single month in the 16-month span between June 2011 and September 2012. Scientists have noted that although natural variability probably had a hand in last year’s record temperatures, signs point to global warming caused by humans as the main reason for the unprecedented heat. Read the rest of 2012 Was the Hottest Year Ever for the Contiguous United States Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: 2012 record temperatures , Climate Change , climate science , Drought , forest fires , global warming , heat wave , Hurricane Sandy , natural disasters , NCDC , NOAA , record temperatures , US weather , USA temperatures , wildfire